South Africa defeats All Blacks in Rugby Championship thriller

Le Roux pounces on NZ mishap

Le Roux pounces on NZ mishap

South Africa's Jesse Kriel (C) celebrates victory during the Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on September 15, 2018. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)Source:AFP

HELL has frozen over in New Zealand after South Africa smashed the All Blacks’ immortal home test record with a famous win in Wellington.

In a result that seems destined to be remembered for a very long time, South Africa had to defend a determined All Blacks attack well into the 84th minute before a handling error finally handed them a well-deserved victory.

South Africa delivered one of the great defensive performances of the age and their ability to hang on for the final 20 minutes was as brave as it gets.

The tension was unbearable during the thrilling final minutes — the Boks gripping on and the All Blacks playing all the rugby and yet not quite able to finish the many half chances they created.

South Africa held on to win 36-34 after the All Blacks appeared certain to pinch another famous last-gasp victory when they had possession just two metres short of the try line after the 80-minute mark.

The All Blacks were chasing their 40th straight win on home soil stretching back to that defeat to South Africa more than nine years ago.

Huge.Source:AFP

South Africa had won just one of their past 12 tests agains New Zealand and were considered no-hope against the world champions on Saturday night.

It was also New Zealand’s first loss in the Rugby Championship since 2015 — 15 tests ago.

South Africa also hadn’t won in Wellington since 1998.

Against the advice of world rugby opinion, it was the visitors who raced out to a 24-17 half time lead to get New Zealand nervous.

One week after getting beaten by Australia, South Africa sprung an early ambush on the All Blacks at Westpac Stadium in Wellington to snap their nine-year losing streak in New Zealand.

The nerves had turned into pure terror for the Kiwi camp when the visitors went ahead 36-24 with a try to winger Aphiwe Dyantyi, who was able to cut back inside the covering All Blacks defence with just over 20 minuts to play.

.@springboks current score is the most points ever scored against @AllBlacks in a Test match on New Zealand soil, by any Test side.

The All Blacks struck back to cut the margin back to a converted try when forward Codie Taylor collapsed over the line after his pack had pushed past the Springboks defence in a punishing maul.

The Springboks’ narrow lead was then pushed to breaking point when Willie le Roux was given a yellow card and sent to the sin bin in the 68th minute for holding an All Blacks player down during a linebreak.

Their line held desperately for more than seven minutes when down to 14-men, but they were finally broken in the 74th minute when Ardie Savea ran onto a hole in the Boks’ line 10m out from the line.